The Fire Within
by Capt.Swag17
Summary: AU. BMWW. Fire can give one the strength to go on, or it can gut one like the shell of a burned house, it is the flame of eternal love and the vengeance for loved ones lost.
1. Thunder Echoes

The raven-haired woman settled herself in the high branches of a tall tree overlooking the clearing in which her daughter trained. The other occupant of the muddy pit was the girl's mentor, whose lengthy copper locks pulled back in a high ponytail, swung about her head as she pushed her young charge harder, staffs clacking and the occasional bare foot striking out to smash into the other's face. Both combatants dripped with sweat, coated with mucky brown slop that remained from one of the recent monsoon-like rainstorms. Without the mud, an outside observer would have likely wondered why the two females were fighting naked, however the woman perched in the tree didn't think twice of it. After all, why would nudity matter on an island inhabited solely by women with nary a male visitor for the past 15 years?

The woman in the tree watched the slightly smaller warrior with a calculating eye, debating how to progress with the young maiden's training. Her daughter had long ago mastered archery and swordfighting as well as many forms of hand-to-hand combat. Her tracking and hunting skills were almost unmatchable and her studies, while still in progress, indicated a twelfth-level intellect to rival her father's. While her youth held back much of her potential physical power, she had long since beaten each of her training opponents, except for Artemis, her lifelong mentor. Even so, there was only a fragile balance of power between the two and soon when she fully recovered from her nearly-crippling bone-injury, it was likely even Artemis would not stand much of a chance against the girl.

Thus the queen was at an impasse. Her prodigy trained in near-solitude, formerly surrounded by many friends, now keeping less than one could count on two hands close to her breast. She debated bringing the girl's father into a discussion on her protege's development and training but immediately shut the train of thought down for fear of the temptation that Man's World provided her.

Almost fourteen years ago she had resigned the Justice League and passed the title of Themysciran ambassador to Patriarch's World on to her aunt and second-in-command, Phillipus. Her older and more aggressive relative had agreed to take on the role and the true Wonder Woman, then with child, had retreated to Themyscira to raise her new little one and rule as its queen in her deceased mother's place. While it crushed her soul some days, she knew it was better that she distance herself and her daughter from Man's World for the time being.

Diana glanced up at the heavens, now darkening once again with blackish rain clouds that would surely dump more rain upon Artemis and her daughter. Her sharp hearing picked up the thunder of a massive storm, still miles out from the island. The cruel heart the resided within her breast twisted the sound momentarily and she swore she heard her former lover's heartbeat within the tempo of the approaching storm as if she were laying against his broad chest once again. Biting back tears she glanced down at the clearing and smirked softly, naturally the duo would not be back for several more hours regardless of the weather but it wouldn't do to have them return and have nothing on the table for their consumption. Sarcastically berating herself, she alighted from the high branch, flying off into the thickening night air towards the palace.


	2. The Rain Doesn't Stop For Anything

**A/N: I hope you guys really like this, it's not my first ****fanfiction, but it's really the first that I've been willing to post on ffn. Those of you who mentioned Bruce, don't worry, he will be coming in the next couple chapters, but I tend to have a lot of exposition before the action starts… Right now, I have things planned out to around 15-20 chapters right now, but I'll have to see where the story takes me! Now without further ado...**

"Is the mud beginning to cloud your vision, young one?"

"In your dreams, Artemis!", came the snarky reply, emphasized by a sharp smack of the offended's staff against the red-head's outer calf.

"You know I'll exact vengeance for that particular blow."

"Give it to me, you know you want to," was the taunting response.

Each stepped back, muscles still tensed, staffs raised as the mud sucked at their feet in their pensive circling. Artemis broke the silence, "Make a move, young one. Zeus is not getting any younger."

No response came from her student, if any, a slight relaxation of the girl's shoulders indicated a slight boredom with the exercise. Noting the minute change in body language, Artemis waited patiently for her opponent to make the first move, preparing herself to lay her charge out flat for her insolence.

She didn't have to wait long, as her pupil sought to bring the staff she held, down upon her bare shoulder. Her blow was accompanied by the first flash of lightning on the wings of the storm but Artemis counter-parried the blow and immediately jumped on the offensive, advancing on the girl with blow after merciless blow, teasingly, the elder woman quipped, "Getting tired, little one?"

Diana's daughter sneered and growled, "That's not my name. And-", she grunted in exhaustion as Artemis beat the staff out of her hands, forced to the ground, the end of the wooden shaft at her throat, "no."

Artemis leaned down, keeping the staff menacingly at the girl's throat, "Then get this out of my hands and beat me three times in plain hand-to-hand combat...", she paused to let the words sink in as the steady pound of rain had within the last few moments, "won't even contemplate heading back until after a bit of conditioning."

Her charge growled again, wrenching the staff from the other woman's grasp with animal ferocity and jumping to her feet before tossing the staff into the surrounding forest. Artemis gasped at the action, but her student grinned cockily, "I'll retrieve it later, let's focus."

They began trading blows, Artemis gaining the upper hand and forcing the smaller girl to her knees, her arms twisted behind her back. Artemis chortled, jarring her opponent's arms, "One down, two to go."

"Let's go then.", was the snarky retort that accompanied the kick that whipped Artemis's feet from beneath her. The girl whirled on her teacher and the dance began again, both ignoring the cool, fat raindrops that steamed upon contact with their skin, washing mud from their bodies but worsening the state of their combat arena and making it harder to grab the other. They struggled, almost in a deadlock, until Artemis found herself unbalanced one moment and flat on her back with her charge's knee pressed into her chest the next.

Leaning in, her adversary smiled, "Two,", before letting her up again. Artemis fought her way to her feet and the two slogged through the muddy pit and they circled one another for the last time.

The last match was by far the longest, most grueling of them all. Artemis snuck in a snapping blow to her charge's nose and blood gushed from it. Exacting revenge, her opponent raked her nails across Artemis's abdomen, throwing a harsh punch into her trainer's ribcage and tackling her to the ground face-first again. Artemis sputtered and heaved, momentarily struggling for breath, "Well done. Go find me the staff. You have thirty seconds."

The girl bolted like lightning for the location she felt she had tossed the staff before the three rounds of martial combat. With seconds to spare, she returned, driving the end of the wooden stick into the mucky ground, Artemis looked up, "Drop and give me three hundred."

Obediently, her adversary stooped to her hands and knees, waiting for Artemis to clamber onto her back. Once settled, Artemis waited for her charge to begin, meditating on her student's progress in a cross-legged position. Through closed eyes, she felt rather than saw her pupil begin, the steady up-and-down motion of each push-up seamlessly flowing together into a rhythmic, almost lulling pulse of muscles. The urge to rest overcame her battle-hardened senses and she fought to stay alert.

Lowering Artemis to the ground for the final time that day, the girl stood and bowed her head in respect to her pedagogue, receiving an curt nod of acknowledgment as her trainer stood stiffly, "You are finished today."

"As you wish, General."

Neither needed words as each whistled shrilly for their mounts, glaring through the rain in search of their approaching steeds. The young girl's horse was the first to break the ring of foliage surrounding the clearing, Artemis's animal nearly nipping at the rearing stallion's heels.

The rain-slicked equine calmed, nuzzling the girl's outstretched hand, looking back as she ran her hand along his neck and across his glossy right flank. Swinging herself upon her horse's back, the girl glanced to Artemis, who'd already mounted her steed, before taking a fistful of her charger's mane in her left hand, the staff in her right. She wheeled her mount and set out at a breakneck gallop for the palace.

**A/N: Thank you to those of you who have left reviews and followed the story, I am humbled by the fact you guys and girls took the time to leave your own words of encouragement, and to the rest of my readers thank you for being such a wonderful audience. I would love and appreciate more reviews, let me know what you think, how I'm doing, ask questions (I may drop hints ^_^)...**


	3. The Quiet Before the Storm

**A/N: I own none of the DC characters mention in this fanfic, sadly. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this next installment, I'm sorry it's not more but I've been going crazy with this huge research project recently so I haven't really been able to focus on this as much. :( For the wonderful guest who asked me if we could find out the girl's name… look closely in this chapter, it's in there. **

Horse and rider sailed over the fence that defined the outermost paddock of the royal stables, a streak of black and bronze that blurred in the rain, not a care for anything besides the other. Slowing to a canter and finally a walk as they entered the stable, the rider jumped from her mount's back with a languid finesse, wordlessly leading him to his corner stall to rub him down.

His coat, which in the rain appeared shiny and coal black and in the sun a glossy, iridescent blue-black, seemed dark gray in the torchlight of the stable's interior. He whickered softly as she buffed a linen towel over his body, quieting when she moved to brush his mane and tail out. Refilling his water and oat bucket, she seemingly produced an apple from nowhere. Feeding it to him, she moved to wrap her arms around his neck, resting her head on his withers, "You were hungry today, big boy?", not waiting for a response, she rubbed circles on his back, "You are my beautiful big boy, you got that, Rex? I'll never stop loving you."

He nuzzled her shoulder in response, then nosed her out of the stall as if he were imploring she join her mother and Artemis for the evening meal. She turned to him one last time, patting his nose and blowing one last kiss in his direction, whispering, "Sleep well, Rexy, tomorrow's always another big day."

Setting out across the grounds, which were empty except for the guards at this time of night and in this weather, she silently soaked in the feeling of the rain against her bare skin, this time without distractions.

Scaling a flowering vine growing nearest to the balcony off-shooting the eastern side of her room, the girl hauled herself to her feet and stepped through the gauzy curtains that flowed to the side of the doorway.

Dripping her way across her room, she headed for the tiled bath in the side room, turning on the shower and stepping under the warm spray to wash the sweat from her body. Finishing, she dried off and slipped into a soft white skirt and draping sleeveless top, sliding her gold armbands on and drying her hair. She left her room, heading for the open lounge to the rear of the palace, where she was certain her mother and Artemis were.

Finding both already chatting in their places, she settled onto the cushions set at her end of the table and took a sip of her water. Artemis nodded in her direction, affirming a productive day of training, Diana smiled at her, but she sensed that it was forced.

"How was your day, Mom?"

"Oh, I went out and trained myself a little, can't let Wonder Woman get rusty?"

"I'll woe the day that that happens."

"Anyway, I was speaking with Artemis about your training. I'll let her speak for herself."

Artemis turned to address her, "Alexandra, you are very capable with your current physical strength but as you have noticed, Alexa is increasing the difficulty of your studies and I will do the same with your combat training. More sword fighting, staff-work, horsemanship, and the like."

"Sounds exciting."

"There's more."

"Yes? More of what?"

"Your Majesty, do you wish to tell her?"

Diana turned to the captain of her guard, inclining her head, "Thank you, Artemis, do you have them?"

Reaching beside her, Artemis reverently handed a black silk satchel to her monarch, "Here they are."

Diana stood, opening the bag and reaching inside. She extracted the contents of the bag with a wary grip, "They do not seem to like me handling them, however, they vibrate as if they know their rightful owner is nearby."

Alexandra eyed the pieces of armor, vibrating almost imperceptibly but agitatedly, in her mother's grasp. The gauntlets captivated her, gleaming with an otherworldly light despite their dark, gray-black hue, the polished surface revealing the occasional etching, tiny symbols that appeared to be of an alien nature.

Gaping, she raised her arms as if to accept the gifts, the gauntlets themselves floating across the table to firmly settle themselves on her wrists. While the glow dulled to the ambient gleam of polished metal, Alexandra herself felt a new sense of purpose wash over her like a tidal wave.

"You are prepared, do not worry, but above all do not fear change."

The meal continued as the trio dug in, occasionally breaking up the sounds of eating with small bits of conversation. When they finished, all three stood, nodding in acknowledgement of the others before splitting off to retire for the night; Artemis to her home nearby, Diana to the Queen's chambers, and Alexandra to the spacious west wing.

**A/N: The next chapter will star the tall, dark, and handsome half of this pairing! ^_^**


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